Visitor Facility Improvement Scheme

The Department of Tourism and Leisure have grants available designed to provide support for projects in visitor facilities which will improve the quality of the visitor experience.

A visitor facility means any premises and / or businesses providing a facility (including accommodation, convenience, amenity and/or service) for visitors for a period of not less than 30 weeks within every calendar year.

Typical projects eligible for funding include would be those which improve facilities to satisfy the needs of visitors, maintain or enhance the destination and environment. The consideration of projects is not limited to accommodation units, but open to any facility as described above.

The grant scheme was approved at the June 2007 sitting of Tynwald and is available until 31st March 2010. The level of assistance will not ordinarily exceed 25% of the eligible works (exclusive of Value Added Tax), the maximum grant payable in £1,000,000. Under certain conditions of the Scheme, assistance of up to 50% of the eligible works may be made.

Work and projects which are NOT eligible under the Scheme include:

• Repairs and maintenance of an existing facility, any work(s) the cost of which does not exceed £10,000;

• Projects where work(s) to be carried out by the applicant or any other organisation in which the Department considers the applicant has an interest, without consent under and subject to the conditions of The Scheme.

• Work(s) that have already commenced or been completed.

In order to protect the investment of public funds, it is ordinarily necessary for the Department to obtain a 15 year security before payment of a grant. However, for grant payments of less than £5,000, the Department may, at its discretion, waive the security requirement.

All applications must be in accordance with the terms and conditions of The Scheme and will only be accepted on a fully completed official application form accompanied by the required supporting documentation. All work must be undertaken by approved contractors and sub-contractors included on the Approved Contractor List maintained on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry by the Isle of Man Employers Federation. The full list can be found on the DTI website at www.gov.im/dti/construction

If you would like further details of the scheme or you would like an initial discussion then please contact Ed Swain on 01624 651561 or email ed.swain@gov.im

A copy of the full terms and conditions of The Visitor Facility Improvement Scheme 2007 may be downloaded by clicking on the icon below.

Application packs will be available shortly.

Downloadable Documents